Valuable results of this mode of relief

Page

101

Three unions in Ulster supported their poor without government

assistance

103

Note respecting Castletown Relief Association, and the arrange-

ments adopted in Werburgh's parish, Dublin.

Statement of extent and cost of distribution in each province

103

105

CHAPTER VI.

State of the country on termination of the Temporary Relief Act

Plentiful harvest

.

Difficulties lessened, but not ended

Much suffering still exists

106

107

108

108

Prevalence of disease

109

.

Fever more fatal among the upper than among the lower classes

Many pretend poverty who are able to support themselves

Difficulty of ascertaining the truth in such cases

120

121

CHAPTER VII.

Prospects of the future.

123

Potatoes served as capital, and as a circulating medium for the

How has this disproportion been affected by the present calamity?

Labourers looking for employment more numerous than heretofore

Ordinary sources of employment diminished

Extraordinary sources of employment, such as railways, drainage,

and improvements

Page

129

129

130

130

Calculation of the number that may be supported by these means

131

Present scale of expenditure in wages compared with expenditure

for public works last year

Fearful number of unemployed labourers

131

132

How are they to be supported during this winter?

132

How are they to obtain subsistence afterwards?

132

Is the number of labourers to be diminished, or are the means of

employing them to be increased?

133

Capital must be supplied from other sources; or the people must

emigrate; or they must fall back on the poor rate for support .

134

CHAPTER VIII.

Are our peasantry to revert to their former habits of life?

135

Various plans have been proposed for the improvement of Ireland

Education

139

139

If not educated for good, they will be educated for evil

143

Importance of keeping them constantly employed

143

Note in illustration of these remarks

143

Education of the upper and middle classes in Ireland inferior to

Introduction of English capital has been relied on by many as a

Large importation of the public funds from England to Ireland

proves the difficulty of making a profitable investment, rather

than any want of capital

If profitable occupation offered, accompanied by security, capital

would flow into the country

Absenteeism of the landed proprietors often complained of

Evils of non-residence peculiarly felt during the past year

How to secure the residence of proprietors a difficult matter

Compulsory laws are out of the question

It must be made the interest of landlords to reside

Page

148

148

148

148

149

149

149

If land could be freely sold, they would probably dispose of their

estates to others, who could give their personal attention to

manage them

149

Decay of manufactures in Ireland

150

The growth of the factory system a main cause

151

Few persons of property in the South of Ireland have been willing

to undertake a business involving so much labour, and requir-

ing the investment of so much capital

151

High price of coals of minor importance

152

Manufacture of flax more slowly adapted itself to the factory

system than that of either wool or cotton

152

Number of persons employed in flax mills

153

Combinations of workmen have had more effect in Ireland than

in England

153

Difference between wages of skilled and unskilled labour

154

Limiting the number of apprentices a principal means of main-

An increase of manufactures would be very valuable to Ireland

The removal of restrictions, if such exist, is all that can be looked

for from the Government

156

157

Want of a sufficient home-demand has an injurious influence

The linen manufacture and the cultivation of flax of the greatest

importance

157

158

Soil and climate favourable to the growth of flax

158

Flax may be made more valuable to Ireland than cotton is to

England

159

Great extent of imports of flax, flax-seed, and oil-cake

159

Increased cultivation of flax and exports of linen would compen-

sate for the present deficient export of agricultural products

159

Fisheries not sufficiently attended to in Ireland

Experimental curing-stations established by Government.
Want of a better home-market in the West of Ireland
Deficiency of harbours for fishermen on the Western coast

CHAPTER X.

Page

160

161

161

161

Great extent of emigration

163

Emigrants mostly consist of the young and enterprising who

possess some capital

164

Less advantageous to Ireland than to the emigrants themselves

Money sent back by emigrants to enable their friends to follow

them

This emigration must continue, until the difference between the

exist

condition of the working classes in the two countries cease to

167

Landlords sometimes assist their tenants to emigrate

167

Emigration must be on a very large scale, in order to relieve the

Would not the same sum, if expended on improvements in Ire-

land, afford the means of employing those who might be assisted

to emigrate?

Government assistance would interfere with private emigration 170

Cultivation of waste lands has been proposed

170

Important results to be expected from this

170

Can it be best effected by government interference, or by pri-

vate enterprise ?

170

Much waste land has been reclaimed by cottiers, by means of

the cultivation of potatoes

171

Doubtful whether this plan be practicable with any other crop

Reclamation of waste lands on a large scale by government con-

sidered

171

171

Private enterprise sufficient if sale of land were free

172

Note-Extract from speech of Sir Robert Peel in illustration

Importance of improving the lands already under culture

M'Culloch's opinion on this subject

Subdivision of land into small farms has been objected to

174

Page

Consolidation has been proposed as a remedy

174

Unless great caution be used in any attempt to consolidate, great

Necessity of capital for farming purposes but little understood in

Ireland

176

Compulsory extension of Ulster system of tenant-right to the rest

of Ireland has been proposed

177

Advantages resulting from the custom of tenant-right in Ulster

A custom can only be established by time

178

178

made by themselves

If extended by Lynch-law, the results would be ruinous

Definition of tenant-right

Tenants have an equitable claim to the value of the improvements

Difficulties of giving them a legal right to compensation

178

179

179

180

Extract from "Digest of Evidence on the Occupation of Land in

Ireland," as to the necessity of security for the tenant's im-

Note-Extract from speech of Sir Robert Peel in illustration

188

Extract from "Digest of Evidence on Occupation of Land" re-

specting the causes of agrarian outrage

188

Want of capital in connection with land the main cause

189

Is there any means of supplying the defect, except by the free sale

of land?

189

A government based on popular institutions fails to secure order

unless it have the support of the people

The great mass of the Irish people have no respect for the laws

relating to the tenure of land

190

The number of those desirous of supporting the laws can be best

increased by the free sale of landed property

191